Boston “holiday tree” stirs controversy – Yahoo! News

I have to wonder just much this really matters. The city of Boston deviated from tradition this year, renaming the Christmas tree a holiday tree, sparking an uproar among the conservative Christian community (or at least with Jerry Falwell, who, in my opinion, is not particularly representative). The argument is that Christ is slowly being worked out of the Christian holiday, being replaced instead with a more secular tradition.

bq. Last year, California Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger lit what he called a “Christmas tree” at a state ceremony.

I wonder at the choice of verbiage in this statement. ‘Christmas tree’ has always been the traditional term for the well-known symbol, but the way it is worded in this article almost sounds like it is casting blame.

bq. Christmas has become too politically correct, said 64 percent of people who responded to an online poll by a CBS television affiliate in Boston.

I would fall under this 64 percent. On the whole I think our entire nation has become entirely too PC, worrying more about hurting someone’s feelings than about accuracy and truth.

All in all, I think this is still another stupid and superfluous battle that Christians have engaged in. The spruce tree has long been a symbol of Christmas but not, so far as I know, one of the Christian faith, _per se_. The cross still stands as the ‘tree’ of Christianity. Additionally, Christ will never be completely removed from the holiday season, so long as their are Christians alive to celebrate it. And I don’t think the point in this case is to remove Christ from the holidays, anyway. It seems like it is more of an attempt to include all peoples of all faiths in the holidays, even if renaming the tree (and ultimately, the holiday) is somewhat unnecessary. This is another case where I believe Christians would be best to just let it go.

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